Today’s Always Uplifting Verse and Devotional to start your day off right!

Faith in the In-Between

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Psalm 27:14 — Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

My wife and I were standing on the highest peak of Tijuana, Mexico. There we experienced a breathtaking view of the city—and the gravity of deep disappointment settling in our chests.

We had spent the last year preparing to serve as missionaries in Central America. We met with teams and stepped forward, desiring to discern God’s call.

Yet despite our desire for the nations, doors closed in three different countries, leaving us in a season of waiting and uncertainty.

But how do you respond when a door shuts? What do you do when you’re trying to be obedient, and things don’t work out how you expected?

In the book of Nehemiah, we see a man burdened with vision. But in humility, he bowed low under the weight of God’s providence. Nehemiah’s conviction did not drive him to force outcomes; it drove him to his knees.

Just like Nehemiah, the calling of God is rarely the version we sketch in our minds. Instead, the calling is surrender—no matter the outcome. So, we pray. We fast, and we stay near to God as we walk with Him.

Because we don’t hold the vision—He does.

And here’s the comforting thing we were learning. God knows our dreams and passions. He has not ignored them or cast them aside. In His remarkable wisdom, He weaves His sovereign plans together with the desires He Himself put inside us.

So, when we sense a call, we remain faithful.

When a door closes, we remain faithful.

And we wait patiently for the Lord. We choose to be brave despite the outcome.

Because God is never confused.

He can redirect our future more beautifully than we could ever imagine.

In the words of a seasoned missionary, “God is faithful to finish the work He starts—not necessarily the works we start. So, stay obedient, my friend.”

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever experienced a closed door when you believed God was leading you somewhere?
  • How do you typically respond when life doesn’t unfold the way you expected?
  • What does “waiting patiently for the Lord” look like in your current season?
  • Is there an area of your life where God may be inviting you to surrender the outcome instead of forcing it?
  • How can remembering God’s sovereignty give you courage while you wait?
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Let Go of What Can’t Love You

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Philippians 1:9-10 — I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

I read something this week that made me go, “Huh?”

So, there was a study out of Arizona State University that looked at something called “material possession love.” They interviewed people about their favorite cars, computers, bicycles—even collectibles—and discovered that some weren’t just enjoying their stuff.

They were actually emotionally attached to it—giving it more time, attention, and affection than actual human beings. And honestly, I think that tracks, because we live in a world where people make a big deal out of stuff.

Your sneakers, your cars, your brand—none of those things are bad. But here’s the quiet danger. Possessions never talk back. They never disappoint you. They don’t require forgiveness. They don’t challenge you. They just… sit there and make you feel in control.

And that’s exactly why they’re so easy to love more than the things that actually matter.

In the Bible, when Solomon looked at everything he had built and accumulated (and he was the wisest and richest man that ever lived) he called it meaningless… a chasing after the wind.

Because stuff can be impressive, but it can’t love you back. Your phone won’t pray for you. Your car won’t sit with you when your heart is breaking. Only people can do that.

And more importantly, only God can. He can fill those deep places in your soul that keep reaching for something more.

Because nothing in this world—no possession, status, or achievement—was ever designed to carry the weight of your heart.

So, this is my hope…that your love would overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in the good stuff. Live for the things that really matter so you can live wisely until Jesus comes back.

You were never meant to love things more than people, or anything more than the God who loved you first. Today there’s an invitation to loosen your grip on what can’t love you back, and to turn your heart toward the One who can. Let your love land where it was always meant to—on people and on the God who loved you first.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What things in your life tend to receive more of your attention and affection than your relationships with God or people?
  • Have you ever looked to possessions, success, or status to fill a deeper need in your heart?
  • According to Philippians 1:9-10, what does it mean to “understand what really matters”?
  • In what ways can your love “overflow more and more” toward the people around you this week?
  • What is one practical way you can loosen your grip on material things and invest more deeply in eternal things today?
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Stretching Makes Faith Strong

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Romans 5:3-4 — Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

You know, in our lives, we are constantly reaching for comfort. We crave ease. We want to live on easy street, right? We plan for leisure and fun and rest.

And I am that person. I want every day to go smoothly.

I want to go to the beach, head to the mountains, or stay home and bake cookies. But that’s not real life. And more often than not, it’s not the plan God has for us either.

Our flesh loves the easy places that come with predictable schedules, smooth roads, and everything working out just right. But growth rarely happens there.

Think about it. Muscles don’t strengthen without resistance.

And faith? It doesn’t deepen without stretching.

Jesus never promised a life of ease. He promised a life that matters—a life with purpose. He points to the kind of life that asks you to let go of what feels safe so you can actually find what is real.

Because the truth is, those hard seasons are not pointless. They’re producing something—things like steadiness, endurance, and hope.

Not to harm us, but to shape us and to lead to our hope.

Because comfort feels good in the moment. But calling? Calling carries meaning that lasts.

And maybe that tension you’re feeling right now, you were not meant to try to escape it or retreat to your comfort zone. This is the very place where something in you is being built that comfort could never produce.

So friend, just stay a little longer—and see what God might be growing in you.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Where in your life are you most tempted to run back toward comfort instead of trusting God through the process?
  • Can you think of a difficult season that ultimately produced growth, endurance, or deeper faith in you?
  • What might God be building in your character through the tension or struggle you are facing right now?
  • How can you choose purpose over comfort in one practical way this week?
  • What would it look like to stay steady and trust God instead of trying to escape the hard season immediately?
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Love in the Little Things

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1 Chronicles 16:34 — Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

You ever have those moments where things aren’t perfect? Like, there are still real needs, but if you pay attention, you catch a glimpse of something that feels like a deep, surprising answer to prayer?

Nothing big had happened. But I was really living in the moment.

It was because we were transitioning Lennox out of his nursery into his new “big boy room.” Lennox was playing with his new toys, completely content. Chris was in there too. I was sitting on one of the soft play pieces with a book in my hand, not even really reading… just watching.

And I remember thinking, I wish I could take a picture.

Because in that moment, nothing else mattered. Just my little family, all in one place, laughing, playing, and just… happy.

Now, was dinner still waiting to be cooked? Yep.

Was Lennox probably going to cry in a few minutes? Also yep.

But in that moment, this was all I cared about. It was beautiful, and something in me just said, Lord, thank You.

Because if I’m honest, I can spend so much time waiting on the big unanswered prayers that I almost miss the small, already answered ones right in front of me.

And when I stop long enough to notice, I realize… His love hasn’t run out. It’s right here.

So maybe today—especially today—there’s a moment like that waiting for you too. Nothing huge. Just a glimpse in a loved one’s eyes or a blessing already within your reach.

Maybe it’s worth slowing down long enough to take a snapshot. Take in the laughter, the peace, the loved ones around you, and give thanks to the Lord because it’s there you can see…

His faithful love really does endure forever.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What “small answered prayers” might you be overlooking right now?
  • When was the last time you truly paused and thanked God for an ordinary moment?
  • What keeps you from slowing down enough to notice God’s faithful love in everyday life?
  • How could gratitude reshape your perspective this week?
  • What memory or moment recently reminded you that God’s love is still present and enduring?
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Beauty in the Slow Down

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Psalm 37:7 — Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

There are some things in life you have to learn to appreciate, aren’t there?

Porch sitting is one of them. As a kid, it used to bore me to tears. I couldn’t understand why that was all the adults wanted to do—just sit there. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve discovered it really might be one of the greatest pastimes there is.

Most simple things are.

Things like slowly reading a book or watching the clouds roll by.

For me, one of those simple pleasures is time spent watching hummingbirds with my mom.

Back during COVID, we would do this daily. I’d sit on the porch working on my laptop. My mom would sit nearby, keeping me company. We wouldn’t always say much. We’d just be there, together, occasionally pointing out the skittering birds when they showed up, and we’d refill the feeders when they ran dry.

It was mesmerizing. It felt like catching a glimpse of something you were never meant to miss. They stopped by just for a moment, then dart to and fro again. They would be gone almost as soon as you noticed them.

But if I’m honest, I think this would’ve bored me to tears before, too.

So, what changed?

It really boils down to one thing.

Stillness.

That’s the acquired taste that most simple things require. Simple pleasures like front porches, slow books, and hummingbirds ask you to sit down enough to pay attention. And that’s harder than it sounds.

Because life will hand you plenty to fixate on. Things that feel unfair. Things that seem like they’re falling apart or impossible to manage.

But out on that porch, none of that follows you.

You sit. You breathe. You notice the beautiful things God is doing around you.

So today, maybe there’s an invitation there—to be still in the presence of the Lord. To wait for Him to act instead of trying to carry everything yourself. To loosen your grip on all the noise and let Him meet you in the quiet.

Because it’s often there—in the stillness—that the smallest, most beautiful things come into view.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What distractions or worries have been making it difficult for you to be still lately?
  • When was the last time you slowed down enough to notice God’s presence in ordinary moments?
  • What would it look like for you to wait patiently for God instead of trying to control the outcome yourself?
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From Complaints to Calling

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Isaiah 43:18-19 — Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

I was so frustrated I was about to scream.

So dramatic. I know.

But I was scrolling my phone, and I could not take it anymore.

I’m talking about how so much “mom content” online is so unnecessarily emotional and sad. Like, “Oh, you’ll miss breaking your ankles on these Legos. So don’t blink. They grow up fast.”

Yes, I know there’s some bittersweetness to that, but it’s like people want me to be sad all the time that my child is growing up.

No way. I refuse. Healthy things are supposed to grow.

But there I was — complaining about it again. Frustrated, again.

I felt the Lord gently pressing on my heart telling me, “Bri, do something about it or quit complaining.”

I didn’t love that…but it did get me thinking. I sat with the Lord for a minute, and I told Him, “You’re right. If you want me to start something that can actually encourage new moms, I will.”

I don’t have it all figured out. But I know this: I don’t want to live stuck in complaining when God is calling me to make a difference.

Maybe it’s time to stop circling your same frustrations too. Replaying those same worn-out thoughts never helps, so instead pay attention to what God is doing. He is always doing something new. Sometimes the new thing God wants to grow starts when we stop dwelling on what frustrates us and start paying attention to where He’s leading us.

Even here, even now… And I’ll miss what God wants to do through me if I stay stuck in complaining.

Maybe you’ve felt that too—frustrated, worn down, catching yourself complaining over things others do that you just don’t agree with.

I know you want to scream, but move into faith. Go from complaining to action because it could be that the very thing you’re tired of seeing is the very place God wants you to make a difference.

So, step in. Speak life. Build something better.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there an area of your life where you’ve become stuck in frustration or complaining?
  • Could God be using that frustration to show you where He wants you to make a difference?
  • What “former things” might you need to stop dwelling on so you can notice the new thing God is doing?
  • How can you move from criticism to encouragement in your everyday life?
  • What is one practical step you can take this week to “build something better?”
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Blueberries and Blessings Abound

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John 15:4 — Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

It’s funny how something so small can change everything.

Back when my kids were still small enough to fit their hands inside old coffee cans, summer meant one thing: blueberry fields. When I think about it, I can almost feel the sun on my shoulders, hear the cicadas, and see their little fingers turning purple before we’re done.

We’d pick until the cans were heavy, sneaking a few along the way. Then we’d head home for the real work — washing, sorting, and freezing. We stacked bag after bag away to last us through winter. Blueberry smoothies, muffins, oatmeal… we ate them with everything.

And you know, at the time, it just felt like a sweet tradition.

Now I hear how something as small as a cup of blueberries can benefit your heart, your brain, and even your focus within hours.

Like I said, it’s amazing what little things can do.

One of the most important ‘small’ things we can do is stay close to God. Jesus said it’s like a branch staying connected to a vine. It’s not about striving, and you don’t always see it right away—but the branch quietly receives life and nourishment from the vine.

That’s where I tend to miss it sometimes. I look for big moments that feel significant. But most of my days are made up of small choices where I’m turning my attention back to God, whispering prayers, or choosing faith when it would be easier not to.

It doesn’t feel like much.

But neither does a single cup of blueberries.

Small, consistent choices in faith aren’t insignificant—they’re formative. Over time, they’re how strength is built, quietly and steadily.

So maybe today isn’t about doing more. Maybe it’s about staying connected. Staying near. Staying open. Like a branch that doesn’t try to produce fruit, but simply refuses to disconnect from the vine.

And over time, often without even noticing, something in you begins to grow.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What are some small, daily habits that help you stay connected to God?
  • Do you ever find yourself chasing big spiritual moments while overlooking consistent connection?
  • What might “remaining in Him” look like in your everyday routine?
  • Where are you tempted to strive instead of simply stay connected?
  • What is one small step you can take today to turn your attention back to God?
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Purpose in the Pain

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Matthew 5:4 — God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Grief doesn’t knock. It breaks the door down and rearranges everything inside. There really aren’t words for it. When you lose someone you love, it’s like everything reminds you of them.

I read about a mother who lost her son in a tragic car accident. The loss left her numb, angry, and searching for God in the silence.

Even though people tried to help, there were no easy answers—just a deep, unrelenting void. But through her grief, something sacred began to take shape inside of her.

She noticed how many other parents were grieving in isolation, unsure where to turn or even how to begin healing after the loss of a child.

So she did something courageous. She opened a small grief counseling center, specifically for parents who have lost their children. She doesn’t try to offer quick fixes or easy theology. Instead, she offers understanding, a space to mourn, a space to simply… be.

“I still feel the pain,” she says, “but now it has a purpose. I get to walk with others in their grief.”

Blessed are those who mourn, scripture says. That’s not because mourning is good, but because God meets you there. And over time, He can begin to shape those broken places into a shelter for someone else. God truly can create beauty from the ashes.

Maybe you are walking through grief this Mother’s Day week too. I get it. It’s hard, but I want you to know that God will never waste your sorrow.

Nope. He is better than that.

Lean into Him. Trust that He is holding you, even here. And when you’re ready, let Him begin to bring comfort—not just to you, but through you.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What does grief look like in your life right now—loss, disappointment, or something else?
  • Have you experienced God’s comfort in a difficult season before? What did that look like?
  • Are you allowing yourself space to truly mourn, or trying to move past it too quickly?
  • Who around you might need the kind of understanding and presence you’ve received from others?
  • What would it look like today to simply let God meet you in your grief?
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God in the Scary Moments

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Psalm 73:28 — But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

It’s easy to believe God is good when the picture is already beautiful. It’s harder—much harder—to say it when everything feels uncertain and unfinished. But there’s something powerful about choosing to stay close to Him—to make Him your refuge—before you see how it turns out.

I was talking to my friend Emily recently, just thanking God for His faithfulness. She was reminiscing and told me a story of God’s faithfulness when her son was born.

She had tested positive for COVID the day before, so everything felt uncertain and overwhelming.

It was terrifying.

After the baby was delivered, doctors moved in and out of the room, using words like ‘abnormalities’ and ‘we’re not sure yet.’

She remembers lying in a cold hospital bed, gasping for air—shaking and too weak to move. Through tears, all she could say was, “Lord, I trust You. And when You show up like only You can, I will tell everyone about Your goodness!”

Days passed. Then months. Then years.

She and her son are now doing amazing, and I’m getting to hear the story of how God took care of them. She’s posting the cutest pictures of her kids—Asher and his big sister—playing at the park. His big sister is fearless and halfway down the slide. Her little brother is right behind her.

The Lord truly is our refuge—and He cares for us in ways we don’t always see in the moment. He’s so good, and like Emily, I want to keep telling everyone about the wonderful things He does for us.

So today, stay close to Him. He is faithful. Hold on to that, and one day you’ll look up and realize you have more stories of His goodness than you can count.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When life feels uncertain, do you tend to draw closer to God or pull away?
  • What does it look like for you to make God your “refuge” in difficult moments?
  • Can you think of a time when God proved His faithfulness after a season of waiting?
  • Is there a current situation where you need to choose trust before you see the outcome?
  • What is one story of God’s goodness in your life that you can share with someone this week?
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Lessons Baked by Love

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Hebrews 6:10 — For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

Flour had a way of finding everything in my grandma’s kitchen—even places you wouldn’t expect.

She was my mom’s mom—and she was my person. I grew up on a chair pulled close to her counter, watching her hands move with a kind of calm confidence. She ran a catering business when I was little, and she taught me everything—how to measure, how to trust your instincts by tasting as you go, and how to fix what doesn’t turn out right.

Years later, with my own boys underfoot, I found myself doing the same thing. There would be flour on the counter, timers going off, and little hands trying to help. I even started a small cake business for a season.

The best part was spending time in the kitchen with her.

I’ve realized those memories were never really about sugar, butter, or ooey-gooey desserts. They were about the kind of legacy you build by pouring into others.

When you bake with your kids or grandkids, they’re picking up more than recipes. They’re learning patience, follow-through, and how to connect.

It becomes something that lasts—long after the moment is over.

Scripture tells us that God is not unjust—He does not forget the love we show Him by caring for others.

And now, looking back, I can see it clearer than I could then—none of it was small. None of it was wasted. Every quiet hour, every small act of care, every unseen moment of showing up… it all mattered. And God hasn’t forgotten a single one.

So maybe today doesn’t have to be impressive to be meaningful. Maybe it looks like staying a little longer, letting it get a little messy, or making space for someone to slow you down.

Because long after the kitchen is cleaned and the last of the flour is gone,the love that filled the room is what stays with you the longest.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What are some “small” acts of love or care you’ve shown that might feel unnoticed right now?
  • How does it encourage you to know that God sees and remembers even the quiet, unseen moments?
  • Who has poured into your life in a way that shaped you more than you realized at the time?
  • Where might God be inviting you to slow down and invest in someone today?
  • What kind of legacy are you building through your everyday actions?
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